DARINGABADI, India — The vibrancy of the persecuted Church in Kandhamal in eastern Odisha state was on display on Jan. 17 at Our Lady of Holy Rosary Church at Daringabadi with the episcopal ordination of Auxiliary Bishop Rabindra Kumar Ranasingh for the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.  

More than 20,000 faithful, along with hundreds of nuns and priests from across Odisha, joined nine bishops for the Mass in Kandhamal, which witnessed the worst persecution in modern times in India in 2008. 

 A solemn procession walked together to the church for the ordination of the first auxiliary bishop from Kandhamal.  

“The Vatican appointment of the first auxiliary bishop for Kandhamal will strengthen and facilitate integral growth of the church here,” said Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, who led the episcopal ordination.  

Kandhamal had witnessed the worst anti-Christian violence in modern times following the mysterious murder of a Hindu nationalist monk, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. The August 2008 murder was promptly dubbed a “Christian conspiracy” by Hindu nationalist groups.  

The body of the slain Hindu leader was taken across Kandhamal for two days in a funeral procession, calling for revenge on Christians, declaring Christianity itself was banned in Kandhamal.  

Christians were ordered to recant their faith and valiant Christians who defied the order were burned alive, buried alive, and killed in other brutal ways. Nearly 100 Christians were killed, and more than 300 churches and 6,000 houses were plundered in unabated violence that rendered 56,000-plus people homeless for years. 

Archbishop Barwa described his new auxiliary as “a shepherd close to the people, a teacher of truth, and a witness of Christ’s love in word and deed.”  

Holding a doctorate from the Pontifical Urbania University in canon law, 52-year-old Auxiliary Bishop Ranasingh spent most of his priestly years teaching in minor seminary in Kandhamal, Bhubaneswar and the regional major seminary in Sambalpur.  

Several participants who took part in the solemn three-hour service hailed the move, with the first auxiliary bishop to be based in Kandhamal, as the archbishop’s house is located in the Odisha capital, Bhubaneswar, which is 150 to 250 miles from Kandhamal. More than three-quarters of the archdiocese’s nearly 100,000 Catholics live in the remote Kandhamal jungles.  

All the prelates of the archdiocese, which celebrated its golden jubilee in 2025, have been from outside Kandhamal so far. The enthusiasm of the Kandhamal folks over one of their own being appointed to lead them was evident as the newly consecrated bishop came down to the faithful to bless them. He was swarmed in the middle by the faithful rushing to touch his hands. 

“The response of our people, coming from far corners of Kandhamal, was amazing. It was a challenging task to prepare lunch for the people,” Father Karunakara Digal, the Daringabadi parish priest who hosted the massive gathering, told the Register. 

“It is a blessed moment for Kandhamal,” Father Madan Nayak, director of ‘Jan Vikas’ (People’s Development) social action center in Kandhamal, told the Register. 

“Everyone is just excited with the historic celebration of our faith. This will have a big impact on the life and work of the Church in Kandhamal,” Father Nayak said.  

Father Ajay Kumar Singh hailed the appointment of Auxiliary Bishop Ranasingh as the “right choice at the right time.”  

“The selection of someone with sound knowledge of Church law and a deep understanding of pastoral life is particularly apt. It’s significant that he comes from a parish that was the first to be destroyed during the violence of December 2007. He truly carries the pulse of the people,” pointed out Father Singh, the former social service director of the archdiocese. 

“I will be staying in Kandhamal only,” Bishop Ranasingh confirmed to the Register on Jan. 20.  

“My main task is faith formation and reconciliation with people of other communities given the history of Kandhamal. Unemployment is also very high among our youth. We need to work out holistic ways for economic development.”